SGD Commemorates:

“Zero Discrimination Day: A call for enacting the
Constitution in everyday life”

Written by: Angeline Stephens, PhD
Chair: PsySSA Sexuality and Gender Division 

Zero Discrimination Day was celebrated internationally on 1 March under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). The overarching aim of this day is to promote equality and social inclusion by dismantling all forms of discrimination. The 2026 theme, “People first”, is particularly poignant in the South African context, which is characterised by multiple forms of discrimination and oppression, despite the constitution’s legal protections for its citizens. The 2026 theme, promoted by the Joint United Nations Programme
on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), highlights “the persistent discrimination faced by people living with and at risk of HIV, discrimination that undermines access to health services, [and] violates rights” (https://www.unaids.org/en/2026-zerodiscrimination-day).